


It Smells Like Infidelity

by Visionsofdazzlingrooms



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, The Odyssey - Homer
Genre: F/M, Greek Mythology - Freeform, I love Penelope, Odysseus tries deceiving her, She be mad!, and Telemachus, and she is not happy, for DesertVixen, she knows about his “exploits”
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visionsofdazzlingrooms/pseuds/Visionsofdazzlingrooms
Summary: “Her husband’s actin’ different, and it’s smells like infidelity.” ~~ No Body, No Crime, Taylor SwiftThe fair, mild-mannered Penelope gives her arrogant, unfaithful  husband a piece of her mind.
Relationships: Odysseus/Penelope
Comments: 8
Kudos: 3





	It Smells Like Infidelity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DesertVixen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/gifts).



> Greek mythology?! Wow! Who knew I could write for a couple that isn’t Danny and Linda Reagan?! 
> 
> For DesertVixen who inspired this with their story, A Wife’s Welcome. DesertVixen commented that they would like to see Penelope ticked off at Odysseus. And, as a hater of Odysseus and lover of Penelope, I delivered.

She was happy at first- anyone would be after twenty years apart from their love. Her years were weary and dreadful, filled with stupid, stupid suitors, sleepless nights taken up by the static in her brain. How she longed for Odysseus, longed for him to hold her, to kiss her, to love her. 

She was ecstatic at first.... until she wasn’t. It had come to her one night, after they had had blissful reunion after blissful reunion. She had remained faithful, remained true. But had he? And if he loved her as he claimed he did, why did it take him twenty years to come back to her? What the heck had he been doing?

“Tell me, dear Odysseus, have you remained faithful to me, chained by the bonds of love and devotion? Or have you acted like a man, and forsook your vows? Vows that are held in high regard, by your faithful wife?”

Odysseus tried to trick her, “no, my love. I remained faithful. I tried tirelessly to get home to you. I fought giants and lotus eaters, temptresses and incompetent men!”

“If you truly loved me, you would have come back long ago. Did you not try your very hardest to come home to me, Penelope, your steadfast wife?”

“I did, my love-“

“Then what took you so long? The old beggar, who is you yourself, told me of brave adventures and cunning escapes. But were they? If you were so brave and so cunning, wouldn’t you be back to me in- say- ten years? Wouldn’t you come back to me in less time, possibly seven years? Or even two? I’ve heard your side of the story, but I don’t believe you.”

“You do not have any means to doubt me, either, my love.”

Penelope whirled around to face him, anger in her brown eyes. “Do not call me that! If I were truly your love, you would’ve remained faithful. You wouldn’t have laid with Calypso or Circe, losing yourself in passionate love with both nymph and goddess. You had a choice, dear husband- or should I even call you that?”

“I had no choice! The goddess tricked me into staying with her. She held me prisoner.”

“For a whole year?! Certainly with your amount of brains and cunningness and deceit you could have escaped! You could have called on Athena- who obviously loves you so!”

“But I did, my love, I did!”

Penelope, though meek and patient, had her breaking point. Hearing her husband claim he loved her, while not denying her accusations and making excuses, enraged her. She walked up to him calmly, her head held high. In one fluid motion, she slapped her so-called husband across the face. 

Odysseus was astounded, “my wife, what posed you to do that? I don’t deserve this malice! I love you!”

“You did, once. I have been blind, I see that now.” She gave him a dagger-filled look, rage and fury swirling around her soft eyes. “I do not wish to see you, anymore, Odysseus.”

And with that, she picked up her skirts and stormed from the banquet hall. Her tears stung her cheeks and eyes as she ran to their bedroom. A room once filled with much love and devotion, now void of any emotion other than burning hatred. 

Odysseus was never able to redeem himself with Penelope; and Penelope, wanting so badly to leave and hurt him like he hurt her, stayed at Ithaca, with him. She didn’t love him the way she did once- she would never love him like that again. But she allowed him to stay at the castle in Ithaca, for their son, Telemachus. Telemachus had been faithful to both mother and father, and had showed great wit and devotion toward his parents. But, perhaps, when he went to the hills for an hour each day to look over what would become his... perhaps he spent a little too much time conversing with Eros, the love god.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it <3!!


End file.
